Town Square

Crows threaten smaller birds

The July 21 Weekly article about crows acknowledged the recent increase of large crows in Palo Alto and assured the readers that they are harmless to humans. A subsequent letter to the editor by John Straubel (July 26) Web Link described the unusual intelligence of these birds.

While these observations are all true, what the authors failed to mention is that crows being omnivores (hinted in the letter), they are primarily responsible for the disappearance of other smaller birds in our neighborhoods.

The couple of crows which began patrolling our neighborhood a few years ago have now grown into larger flocks which scurry through tree canopies on an almost daily basis, searching for nests with eggs, chicks or other food supplies. Previously, these trees have been the nesting sites for a variety of smaller birds which have now mostly disappeared as a result of these raids.

This year, I can hear in my backyard only a lone pair of mourning doves calling at dawn -- no more regular visits by robins, shrieking blue jays or nighttime entertainment by the ever-so-vocal mockingbirds.

I share the views of both writers about the beauty of "wildlife" and amazing intelligence of these crows, but unfortunately their ever-increasing presence is at the expense of all of our other beloved and perhaps more attractive feathered companions.

These crows have become a most destructive invasive force against our native songbird population.

This story contains 246 words.

If you are a paid subscriber, check to make sure you have
logged in.
Otherwise our system cannot recognize you as having full free access to our site.

If you are a paid print subscriber and haven't yet set up an online account,
click here
to get your online account activated.

Comments (1)

Like this comment

Posted by random person
a resident of Fairmeadow
on Aug 14, 2006 at 12:54 pm

I need glasses. I read the headline for this as "Cows threaten smaller birds". Darn cows.

Don't miss out on the discussion!Sign up to be notified of new comments on this topic.

Email:

Post a comment

Posting an item on Town Square is simple and requires no registration. Just complete this form and hit "submit" and your topic will appear online.
Please be respectful and truthful in your postings so Town Square will continue to be a thoughtful gathering place for sharing community information
and opinion. All postings are subject to our TERMS OF USE, and may be deleted if deemed inappropriate by our staff.

We prefer that you use your real name, but you may use any "member" name you wish.

Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund
For the last 23 years, the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund has given away more than $4 million to local nonprofits serving children and families. When you make a donation, every dollar is automatically doubled, and 100% of the funds go directly to local programs. Itâ€™s a great way to ensure your charitable donations are working at home.